“After many years conducting choirs under extraordinary circumstances, I felt that I had neglected my first love: writing music. So I bought a new piano in 2016, began to

practice in earnest and to compose. Around that time I worked on the INVICTUS games choir, an incredible experience but an emotional one. I moved from that to work with

friends of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire: another life changing and life affirming project.

Before beginning my next challenge I took some time out. My wife had our third child and I was able to be at home, play the piano and write music for myself and my family

as she recuperated. This has been a very important and healing time.

The music is a personal journey through the year and is inspired by my own feelings about each month: birthdays of loved ones, marriages, funerals are all in this music.

I wanted to include the sound of a beautiful piano in a natural acoustic with the warmth of a choir and the energy of a string quartet. This music helped me to heal.”

Artists

Gareth Malone (piano), Michael Craddock (vocals), Owain Park (vocals), Matthew Beale (vocals), Kirsty Hopkins (vocals), Joshua Cooter (vocals), Simon Gaccear (vocals), Jeremy Budd (vocals), Sara Davey (soprano), William Gaunt (vocals), Victoria Meteyard (vocals), Hannah Cooke (vocals), Carris Jones (vocals), Edward Ross (vocals), David Clegg (vocals), Daniel Collins (vocals), Charlotte Ashley (vocals), Meghan Cassidy (viola), Gabriella Swallow (cello), Shlomy Dobrinsky (violin), Elizabeth Ball (violin)